The present invention relates to a novel rail truck having an adapter for an intermodal trailer, and more specifically, to a novel adapter assembly on a rail truck connectable with an intermodal trailer constructed for over the highway use or, alternatively, for rail transportation.
Various proposals have heretofore been made for constructing intermodal trailers capable of highway or rail use. In general, such proposals have contemplated trailers having highway wheel assemblies, and either rail wheel assemblies or means for connection to a separate rail truck. One such proposal is disclosed in Wicks et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,466, now assigned to the Assignee of the present invention.
In intermodal trailers of the type contemplated herein previously proposed, it has been necessary to provide some means on the trailer for either relatively extending and retracting the highway wheels and the rail wheels when the rail wheels are on the trailer for alternative highway and rail use, or extending and retracting the highway wheels when a separate rail truck is to be used. In both situations, there is a resultant significant increase in cost and weight of the trailer, as compared with standard highway trailers. The increased weight will, of course, reduce the permissible payload which may be carried by the trailer, which, coupled with the increased costs, reduces the economic benefits which may be expected by the users of an intermodal system.